Our Commitment to your Privacy
The Barrie and Community Family Health Team (BCFHT) recognizes the importance of treating our patients with respect and upholding their privacy while they receive care from us. The BCFHT is fully committed to protecting the privacy of our patients’ personal health information as it is the law and our commitment to you and your family.

Collecting Your Personal Health Information
When you receive care from a BCFHT physician or clinic, we collect personal and health information about you directly from yourself or from someone with the legal authority to represent you. The information that we collect may include your name, date or birth, address, health history and current conditions, and records of your visit and the care that you received. We will only collect the amount of information that is required to provide you the care that you need.

How we protect your privacy
The BCFHT works very hard to ensure that it is meeting its commitments under law to uphold the confidentiality of its patients and maintaining the privacy of the health information that it collects. The BCFHT’s Privacy Office also works with the office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, as well as other healthcare organizations, to continuously improve its privacy.

Some of the ways that the BCFHT works towards improving and upholding your privacy are through:
• Continuous educating and training staff and clinicians on privacy;
• Recording and limiting access to personal information;
• Monitoring and managing our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; and
• Maintaining a state-of-the-art electronic security environment.

Use of Health Information
In order to provide health services to you, plan your care and continue to improve the care that we provide, the BCFHT needs to collect, use and disclose personal health information about you. In providing care to you, improving the care we provide and meeting our obligations under the law, we use your information to:
• Care for you and improve your health;
• Plan, implement and improve our programs and services;
• Conduct risk management activates;
• Improve the quality of the care that you receive;
• Conduct clinical research, in accordance with established ethics and privacy guidelines;
• Bill and receive payment for the care we provide (i.e. OHIP and WSIB);
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements; and
• Contribute to health system planning.

BCFHT’s Privacy Office
BCFHT’s Privacy Office is committed to protecting your personal health information in accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA).  The BCFHT is committed to holding itself to the highest standards of privacy information practices within its field and is focused on continual improvement.

Please feel free to contact the BCFHT Privacy Office with any requests, concern’s or questions that you may have.

Phone: 705-721-0370 x 2910
Email: accessprivacy@bcfht.ca

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the BCFHT collect your personal health information?
The BCFHT collects your personal health information primarily to ensure that we are providing the best care we can for you and your family. We collect only the information that is relevant to providing care for you and your family and uses this information to help diagnosis, refer and develop care plans to help you.

Who does the BCFHT share your personal information with?
The BCFHT and its member physicians are required to disclose patient information to the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care and any organization authorized by the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care. The BCFHT is also required to share information with the WSIB as is required by law.

With any organization that the BCFHT shares personal health information with, appropriate safe guards are used on the sharing and use of this information in accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA).

As a member of the BCFHT, to provide the best care possible, the BCFHT will share specific health information between your physician, any BCFHT clinics your access and any family medicine clinics your access. Only the information that is required to provide you care is accessed by BCFTH physicians or health practitioners and only those individuals who need to know this information in order to perform their duties or functions will access this information.

Does the BCFHT ever sell patient information?
The BCFHT does not sell patient information.

Will the BCFHT disclose your information to an outside company or employer?
The BCFHT requires your consent or a court order to disclose your personal health information to any person or organization that is not involved in patient care.

Can you obtain a copy of your personal health information?
You have the right to access and receive a copy of your personal health information from any organization that provides health care, with limited exceptions. Exceptions are made in the releasing of your personal health information if this information would place yourself or a third party at risk.

In requesting your personal health information, please understand that some personal health records can be quite large and may take some time to compile and copy. There may also be some administrative fees associated with your request, depending on the size of the records being requested. In order to request your personal health information, please contact the BCFHT Privacy Office.

Can you correct the personal health information that the BCFHT has?
You have the right to request corrections to your personal health information if you believe that you personal health information is inaccurate or incorrect. Before requesting any corrections, it is recommended that you talk to your physician or clinician about the proposed changes prior to making the request. In order to request your personal health information, please contact the BCFHT Privacy Office.

How do you contact BCFHT regarding your privacy rights?

If you have questions, concerns or complaints relating to privacy or would like more information about our privacy practices, please contact the BCFHT’s Privacy Office by phone at 705-721-0370 x2910 or by email at accessprivacy@bcfht.ca .

Who else can I contact if I have privacy concerns?
You also have the right to raise any privacy related concerns to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. The Office of Information Privacy Commissioner can be reached by phone at 1-800-387-0073, by email at info@ipc.on.ca or by visit their website at www.ipc.on.ca